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Daily Archives: April 12, 2014

With three other running backs injured, Desmon Peoples is making the most of his opportunity this spring by impressing Rutgers coach Kyle Flood. (Mark Sullivan/MyCentralJersey.com)

PISCATAWAY — At his current pace, Desmon Peoples could be two weeks away from having as many spring practice Most Improved Offensive Player awards as he does games played to show for his Rutgers football career.

One year ago at this time, Peoples inserted himself into the mix to replace 1,000-yard rusher Jawan Jamison with a breakout spring camp. Now, after slipping — literally so, if you consider his last carry — out of the plans, the rising redshirt sophomore is redefining “breakout” as it applies to him.

“I don’t know if he is having a better spring, but he is a better player,” coach Kyle Flood said. “I don’t think there is any doubt about that. I think last year we saw the beginning stages of it. Now we’re seeing a much more complete Desmon Peoples. That’s the exciting thing because we knew when we recruited him that he could run with the football, but now we’re seeing him catch it out of the backfield. We’re seeing him block. We’re seeing all these little things you need a guy to do to have an opportunity to be a great back.”

As Paul James rushed his way to First-Team American Athletic Conference honors, Justin Goodwin picked up the slack in James’ injury absence and Savon Huggins found a niche in short yardage and pass protection, Peoples managed six carries for 19 yards over two games. Lining up for pre-practice stretching lines behind three other running backs, Peoples wondered if his best opportunity already had come and gone.

“That was always a thought,” he said, “but I was just going to keep grinding it out here. No doubt in my mind.”

The decision to continue preparing like a starter was a smart one by Peoples, who suddenly is in the feature position. James and Huggins are sidelined for the rest of spring and Goodwin is out right now, leaving the former Mr. Most Improved with a chance to further develop.

“I’m always trying to build on every chance I get,” Peoples said. “I’m just trying to come out here and do what I need to do to become a better player all-around. It’s easy to come out here and keep getting better. It’s very different because I do have more of a foundation and I am more familiar with the offense. I’m getting better at knowing what I have to do.”

Will Rutgers coach C. Vivian Stringer and her team, shown on Nov. 17, 2013, see benefits from their WNIT title run. (Jason Towlen/Staff Photographer)

PISCATAWAY — Some time in the next few months, Rutgers is likely to raise a banner to the rafters at the Louis Brown Athletic Center commemorating its 2014 WNIT championship.

Whether or not it looks out of place next to two retired numbers and banners celebrating two Final Four trips and C. Vivian Stringer’s Hall of Fame induction depends on whether or not the season is viewed as a success for the women’s basketball program.

Rutgers missed the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive year on the heels of a streak of earning 10 consecutive berths but made the most of its second chance by going 6-0 in the WNIT to up its win total (28) to heights not reached since 2004-05. Stringer, who was unavailable to the media this week, even referred to it as winning a “national championship” — something she came closest to doing in the NCAA Tournament during her 41-year career when Rutgers lost the final in 2007.

“I think success for the Rutgers fan is a deep NCAA Tournament run,” said Brooke Weisbrod, an ESPN college basketball analyst. “Because of the number of wins, if I look at it outside of these fans, to me that is a successful year. It’s the best year you’ve had in six years. But you could also critique that pretty hard because you think Rutgers women’s basketball and you think, as a brand, ‘elite’ because that’s what you remember from the last 10 years.”

With a roster of no seniors but five McDonald’s High School All-Americans, Rutgers was left out of the NCAA Tournament because of a poor RPI and strength of schedule. Weisbrod, who covered the American Athletic Conference Tournament, thought Rutgers belonged in the field of 64.

“I think you build on anything,” said Weisbrod, a former Big South Player of the Year at Coastal Carolina University. “It’s a championship. It still counts. You still won a tournament and — not only that — they started to figure out their offense a little bit more.”

But what is better for a program in the long haul? A one-game stint in the NCAA Tournament or three weeks of practice and exposure to the one-and-done format?

Genna Camiolo of Warren Twp. (center), was an honorary captain at a Rutgers women’s lacrosse game last season./(Handout Photo)

By Jane Havsy

Genna Camiolo calls herself “a cheerer.”

It’s her job to root on her parents Kristen and David, siblings Andrew and Rosie, dog Coco, and the Rutgers women’s lacrosse team.

The team serves as unofficial “big sisters” for Genna, a 15-year-old from Warren Township. She was matched with the Scarlet Knights five years ago by the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation, which tries to improve the quality of life of children battling pediatric brain tumors.

Rutgers women’s lacrosse will hold its annual FoJ Day against Georgetown on Sunday afternoon. Genna and Rosie Camiolo will be team captains, leading the Scarlet Knights onto the field at High Point Solutions Stadium and participating in the coin toss.

Genna and Rosie both have neurofibromatosis, a genetic condition which causes diffuse tumors. Genna was diagnosed when she was 2, and Rosie at 6 months.

The tumors began to affect Genna at age 6 in August 2004. She had an irregular eye exam, and an MRI revealed “significant optic brain tumors” and hydrocephalus, Kristin Camiolo said. Genna’s vision loss was caused by an inoperable optic chiasmic hypothalamic glioma. She had surgery to implant a shunt, and started chemotherapy the day after she began first grade at Koinoina Academy in Plainfield.

Genna also has tumors in her cerebellum and on her brainstem, and has had several rounds of chemotherapy. During one break from treatment in the fall of 2008, Genna was introduced to Rutgers women’s lacrosse coach Laura Brand-Sias and her team.

“It’s about sports but it’s not about sports,” said Kristin Camiolo, a history teacher at Koinoina. “It’s a wonderful relationship with these kids who happen to be really, really good at sports. It’s such a joyous thing. It’s so great to see your kid fit in and just be loved.”

Genna is usually introduced to the new lacrosse players and their parents at a team banquet in the fall. Rutgers alumna Faith Richards recalled her sophomore year in 2008, when Brand-Sias first told the team they’d been matched with Genna and Rosie, then aged 10 and 6.

Four other players are sidelined right now but could return before the end of spring.

“What we’re trying to do is examine it from every direction,” coach Kyle Flood said of the team’s self-analysis of last season’s injuries. “What were the injuries? What were the most common injuries? When did they happen? What were we doing prior to when they happened? How did we treat them? How long did it take them to get back on the field? We’re still analyzing the data.”

Prospects are able to sign letters of intent beginning Wednesday. Per a new rule last season, college football programs are able to accept National Letters of Intent (NLIs) during an early signing period for three days in December. These NLIs are a binding commitment between school and individual. In 2018, this period begins Wednesday December […]

The former Scarlet Knight rushed for over 100 yards for the third time in his past five games Gus Edwards has paved an unlikely path from undrafted free agent to making the practice squad to becoming the starting running back for the Baltimore Ravens, all since this past April. After having a productive final season […]